Ten Summers
by SwordxPen
Summary: Annabeth, Princess of the Athens, is to marry Perseus, Crown Prince of Atlantis, the day she turns eighteen, to unify the two cities plagued with decades of wars, distrust, and contempt, into one indomitable kingdom. And every summer until then would be spent at Atlantis, with the prince himself, with the hopes of the two of them falling in love.


Annabeth Diana Chase, Princess of the Athens, sniffed once in distaste, her eyes narrowing at the too bright cerulean blue waters that stretched far beyond their carriage and well into the horizon. She squinted once in attempt to see if she could make out any form of civilization past the blinding sun, but once it proved futile, she allowed the curtain to drape back over the window, casting dim shadows within the cabin once more.

Anna sighed deeply, making her misery well known to her mother, who simply pursed her lips at the umpteenth display of her daughter's irritation.

"Do we really have to stay the entire summer?"

Athena didn't spare her a glance. "Yes."

"Why?"

"You know 'why'"

Anna scowled once at the lack of her mother's response, before shifting her attention back to the window. Letting another sigh of discontentment slip through her lips, she shut her eyes and pressed her forehead to the scalding hot plane of the glass.

Even within the cabin it was unbearably hot, beads of sweat rolling down the nape of her neck and staining the collar of her dress. Not to mention the humidity that made her feel as if she was choking on water, and sent her hair into a frizzy rats' nest of curls. She couldn't imagine living in such a state for an entire year, much less one summer.

Anna rocked back slightly into the plush seat, itching to break the silence that plagued the carriage, but she made no farther attempt to converse with her mother as the woman seemed perfectly content with ignoring her for the rest of the journey. Anna wished silently that it had been her father that had accompanied her to Atlantis, even though she was not particularly close with him either, he did seem to share her joy of conversation. She would have much rather spent the journey chatting away the hours rather than being left to suffer in her own thoughts, which were not exactly the most pleasant at the moment.

It was later when a slight jolt jerked her awake. After a brief pause of confusion, Anna pulled back the flap of the curtain unaware when exactly she had fallen asleep.

Her eyes were met with the lively bustling of a dusty, cluttered town. People swarmed in and out of light colored shops and crude chatter rung loudly within her ears. As the carriage stumbled by, people seemed to stop just for a moment, their wide eyes briefly meeting her own with something akin to reverence and then they turned to each other, sharing whispers of what Anna guessed was excitement.

_Is that… no it can't-_

_The princess of Athens!_

_ Has she already reached eight years?_

_ Why I reckon she must have if she's here._

_ Are you sure it's her?_

_ Quite! That is the royal emblem of the Athens on the carriage, is it not? Look! See, the olive brach carved into the side! _

Athena's lips stretched into a thin line, her face adopting a sour look that marred her pretty features. It was no secret to Anna of how her mother detested commoners, something she had always found complexing considering it was the commoners that were the foundation to any kingdom and were there to be guided with the wisdom of the royals. Something she figured would be quite hard to do if you could barely stand their presence. There was no such thing as King without his subjects, or queen for that matter.

Anna focused on the dark curls that tumbled gracefully over her mother's shoulder. "How much longer, mother?"

Athena gave her daughter the briefest of glances before resuming her resolute stare forward. "Not much longer, I presume."

* * *

><p>Perseus Allen Jackson, Crown Prince of Atlantis, was standing knee deep in the water when he heard the horns. A low oath slipped though his lips as he scrambled for the sand, water splaying up his back and far out behind him. He could already hear the sharp reprimands of his mother who would, without a doubt, have his neck for greeting the Princess of Athens soaking wet.<p>

Dashing quickly over the scalding sand, he made his way back to the castle as fast as his feet would let him.

"Prince Jackson!" Mrs. Reynolds distressed call echoed behind him as he made a mad dash through the Servants Quarter. "You were to be here over half an hour ago!"

He flashed a cheeky grin as he ran past, "I got a bit held up."

Begrudgingly, her lips quirked into a slight grin. "Well, hurry up then, boy! Your mother will have your hide for this."

Perseus groaned as he rounded the corner, "Don't remind me!"

Only a few twists and turns more and he found himself standing before the ornate doors that lead into the private sitting room. Straightening out his shirt, and smoothing back his hair, he opened door, cringing at the long resounding creek that echoed through the silent hall.

"Perseus!" There was the unmistakable tremor of barely masked anger beneath the loud cheeriness his mother greeted him with. He bowed deeply, his head held down.

"Please forgive me, mother. I found myself… rather… uh… held up." He said weakly, cringing at his own poor excuse.

Queen Sallina's eyes narrowed on his soaked attire, disapproval radiating from her very form, as she placed a hand on his shoulder and swiveled him forward to their guests.

Queen Athena was as pretty as the tales had told. Her dark hair contrasted greatly to her alabaster skin, along with stormy grey eyes that pierced him with her displeasure. Intimidating, but an all-around pleasing image he would guess. Although her beauty would never match that of his mother's.

He bowed deeply to Queen Athena before rising to meet his betrothed.

She was a tiny thing, barely looking of seven years much less eight. It was hard to believe he was _only_ two years her senior. Light blonde hair curled softly down her back and hard grey eyes surprisingly glared at him from her position. Her slim arms were crossed petulantly across her chest and her nose stuck high in the air as she regarded him as if he were nothing more than the dirt beneath her shoe. A slight burst of indignation flared up inside him.

"Princess." He greeted coldly, the minute nod of his head barely deemed acceptable of social standards.

"Prince Perseus." She scowled, her stature unmoving.

"Anna." Queen Athena hissed disapprovingly.

With an annoyed sighed, the Princess dipped into a modest curtsy, her eyes burning into his own. Perseus wavered for a moment in shock, unaware of what he had done to get the young girl to hate him so intensely within moments of meeting. His form stiffened with his own anger.

"Well, go on." His mother prompting had his eyes widen in surprise. Surely she didn't mean for him-

The sharp set of her face told him the she certainly did.

He took a hesitant step forward, his back rigid with discomfort. The Princess glowered as his intentions became clear when he took her hand.

Perseus rose the small hand to his mouth, and with the disgusted wrinkle of her nose and daring glare in her eyes, he let his lips barely brush the top of her hand before practically throwing her arm back to her. He wiped his lips roughly with the back of his hand, hoping very much to convey his revulsion as much as he could with the gesture as she rubbed her own hand on the fabric of her skirt.

"Pleasure." She spat the word, obvious it was anything but.

"Well," Queen Sallina, said after an awkward pause. "Why don't I have Mrs. Reynolds lead you to your rooms. You must certainly be tired after a journey of four days time."

"Indeed." Queen Athena agreed. "Come, Anna."

And with one final glare thrown, the young Princess spun on her heel and marched out of the sitting room, her nose jutted high into the air. Perseus matched her stare step for step, and as she exited he made a vow that he would _never _marry that insufferable little girl.

* * *

><p>Anna huffed with fury at the audacity of that boy, swearing her life to the fact that he would be the last person she would <em>ever<em> be prevailed upon to marry.

The nerve of him! Not only did he have the impudence to show up dripping wet and covered in sand as if he had not a care in the world and then act arrogantly as if she was the one that had pulled him from his leisure activities!

Anna threw herself onto the bed, burying her head into the unfamiliar pillow. Angry tears welled at the corners of her eyes and she rubbed at them furiously, destroying any evidence of her tantrum.

Dinner that night progressed their relationship no better than their first greeting. Perhaps the worst part was after dinner when they were allowed to play with wooden swords and when Perseus had underestimated her skill because she was _just a girl_ and taunted that he would let her have the first swing, Anna tackled him to the floor and started whacking him with all her might. It was a maid, Mrs. Reynolds, who pulled her off of the sniveling boy, and she triumphantly noted his face was flushed red with unshed tears as she was hauled from the hall.

It had been the worse talking to her mother had ever given her in her life, and she was sent to bed just as red faced as Perseus had been.

Queen Athena departed for the Athens a week later, and Anna realized how truly alone she was with her mother gone.

A month passed.

Anna survived most of it from the silent agreement she and Perseus had made- she would leave him alone as long as he did the same. The only time they were ever seen together was when they had the misfortune of having to dine with each other and even that was suffered in a stony silence with Queen Sallina's futile attempts at conversation.

Without realizing she had started a routine- she would get up, eat breakfast with Prince Pompous and his mother, stow away in her room until lunch and play with the provided toys and trinkets, then after dinner would roam the halls, slowly memorizing the layout of the castle and the paths in which everyone took.

She had never been so bored in her life.

How dearly she wished she had her brother, Malcolm, to be there with her, even though he was a year her junior and could be the most intolerable, she would trade all of the books in her library just so she could have someone familiar.

And for everyday of the next month she wept for the comfort and safety of her own home before falling asleep.

It was on a early September morning when the Queen decided to put a kink in her schedule. She had just been about to excuse herself when the woman spoke. "Anna, dear, how long has been since you have been outside?"

Anna hesitated for a moment, unsure of the answer herself, then replied.

"Three months?" Queen Sallina cried. "Oh I truly have been the most ungracious of hostesses. Perseus," she turned to her son. "You must take Anna with you to the beach today."

His spoon clattered into his bowl and he sputtered, "Mother, but Anna doesn't want to go to the beach-"

"I really don't Madam." Anna agreed wholeheartedly, her eyes throwing daggers at the heir to Atlantis.

"And she probably doesn't even know how to swim."

Anna fumed at his simpering tone. "I do too know how to swim!"

"Be quiet." He hissed from across the table, his face murderous.

"Nonsense." Queen Sallina waved them off dismissively. "And if that is the case dear, than you two will simply walk."

"But mother-"

"And Perseus would be more than willing enough to teach you, right dear?"

"But-" Cut off with a stern look from his mother, Perseus scowled into his plate. "Yes, mother."

Anna sighed.

* * *

><p>Perseus glowered at the ground beneath his feet, mentally cursing the small girl trailing awkwardly behind him. It was obvious that she has had little interaction with beaches as she struggled to keep pace with him in the sand.<p>

"Hey can you just- hey- slow down!"

He smirked slightly to himself, then came to an abrupt halt. Barely a second later did the princess walk straight into him then tumble to the sand in a ungraceful, her cheeks burning brightly as he smiled down at her.

"Oops, sorry."

She glared up at him accusingly. "You did that on purpose."

Perseus clasped a hand to his heart a strangled gasp emitting from his throat. "How you wound me so Princess. Why I would _never _trip you on purpose."

Her cheeks burned brighter as she struggled to her feet, wiping the sand from her dress with as much dignity as she could muster. Then, before he knew what had happened, her leg flew out from beneath her skirts and kicked him sharply in the shin.

Perseus collapsed to the ground, his hands nursing the throbbing pain in his leg as he let out a low groan.

"Oops," She looked down upon him, her hair a halo of gold in the bright sun and a cheeky grin in place on her face. "It was accident."

It was twenty minutes later that they had attracted the attention of Mrs. Reynolds, after all it was quite hard to miss the screeching the duo had been unleashing on each other. The old maid had heard the ruckus all the way from the castle and after when she came to inspect, had to forcefully remove the two to keep them from killing each other. In the end they were both thoroughly sandy with the hints of bruises starting to blossom over their skin.

Needless to say, the Princess's final month was spent in solitude.

* * *

><p>Anna rocked on the balls of her feet, her excitement nearly tangible and the happiest grin Perseus had ever seen the girl sport was stuck to her face. Queen Sallina placed a calming hand on the Princess's shoulder.<p>

"I do wish you a happy rest of the year, Annabeth."

The young girl stopped rocking only for a moment as if considering something then said. "Anna. You can call me Anna."

Queen Sallina beamed, and smoothed back the soft curls from the Princess's forehead. "Only if you call me Sally in return, Anna."

Anna grinned in reply, dropping into a quick curtsy. "Of course, Queen Sally."

The Princess then turned to Perseus, and nodded stiffly, her lips stretched tight. "Prince Perseus."

"Princess Annabeth."

"Perseus." His mother reminded him.

With an exasperated sigh and roll of his eyes, Perseus stepped forward, took one of her hands within his own, swiftly pecked the top and then returned to his place by his mother, wiping his mouth off with a quick swipe of his hand.

Anna rubbed her offended hand on the edge of her skirt.

She curtsied once more and Perseus parted with the words, "Till next summer."


End file.
